Chance Meetings
by Sparkle27
Summary: AU. Angel meets a myserious young woman in a bar one night- then meets her again two days later, with a different name, the old friend of his girlfriend. Ouch. B/A- please please please review and I guarantee more. It's better than it sounds.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_**Brand new story. Sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes but I promise that if you review, I can add more chapters almost immediately. So if you want more you know what you have to do.**_

Angel Smith sat on a bar stool and swigged yet another glass of whisky on the rocks. His suit jacket lay on the bar beside him, tie tossed on top haphazardly. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, top button unfastened as he signalled the man behind the bar.

"I'll have another." A second later, another glass came sliding towards him and he downed it in one, wincing as the alcohol burnt his throat.

He sighed, staring into the bottom of his empty glass. It had been a rough day. Being a lawyer may have its perks but all the hard work and the long hours were starting to take a toll on him. Usually after finishing work, he simply chose to go home and collapse into bed, but sometimes, if, like today, work had been especially rough, he came here.

"Here" was a small bar on the outskirts of town, popular with those too drunk to get into other bars, with stricter rules. He had stumbled upon this bar years ago, a young man straight out of college, with his friends, loud and childish.

A lot had changed. Nowadays, Angel (or Angelus to his everyone but his family) had grown up, hardened by what he had seen in his 26 years. He had a successfully job, a large income, not to mention an impressive apartment. A good family, decent friends, even if by now he saw them less than twice a month.

So why did he feel like something was missing in his life? What use were the money and the success and the occasional visits to friends and family if he felt so tired and weary and…

He sighed again, waving for another drink. It arrived at the same time as the woman.

He saw her enter the bar out of the corner of his eye. She was easy to notice. Angel could see the eyes of every man in the room flicker towards her, jaws dropping towards the floor.

She was wearing a short, black dress that showed off her long tanned legs, strapped into seven inch glossy heels. Her hair was short and dark, framing her beautiful face- her eyes, outlined with thick black eyeliner pencil, lips scarlet and alluring.

He slugged down his latest glass and was about to order his next drink when somebody slid onto the bar stool next to him.

It was her. Of course it was.

Angel breathed in the scent of her perfume. It was strong and made his eyes water slightly but still smelt gorgeous.

"JD and Coke, Sam," He heard he say to the bar man, who nodded with a smile. "And skip the Coke."

She must be a regular, he realised as she settled into the stool, resting her handbag beside his jacket and tie.

She drank the drink with surprising ease. She didn't even wince. Angel was impressed.

"So. " He heard himself say to the beautiful stranger. "What's a lovely lady like you doing in a run down place like this?"

She turned to him and surveyed him with a look of growing interest.

"What's a man like you doing in a run down place like this?" She countered, resting her glass on the bar counter. She rested her hand on his jacket and inspected it. "Let me guess…lawyer?"

He chuckled reluctantly, playing with his empty glass.

"Good guess."

She smiled. "It's a talent."

"You look different when you smile. " He noted dreamily, leaning his chin on the palm of his hand and movingly slightly closer.

The stranger looked slightly uncomfortable and unsure how to take this comment. She must have decided to accept it as a compliment because she smiled at him.

"Don't get too used to it. You probably won't see it again. "

"So am I going to be seeing you again?" He slurred. She didn't reply.

"I take it you have a name?" He asked her. She studied him intently for a second before extending her hand.

"Anne." He watched her outstretched hand before offering his own for her to shake. Her hand was soft and warm against his own.

"Angel."

"Angel. That's a pretty name." She told him. Without letting go of his hand, she ordered some more drinks for both of them, only dropping it when the drinks arrived.

"You…are very pretty." Angel slurred, clumsily moving his hand up to stroke her face. Anne flinched and he froze.

"You are very drunk." She drank another chaser quickly. "And I am even drunker."

"I'm not sure whether that's a real word." He told her. She rolled her eyes.

"I always sucked at English."

Angel took another drink, and waved for yet more.

"So what were you good at? Let me guess this time…you don't seem like a Mathlete…cheerleader?"

Anne clapped slowly.

"A Round of applause, Angel. You're almost as good as me."

"A cheerleader, huh?" He asked. They were closer now. He could see everything clearer now. The freckles scattered across her nose. The soft skin on her neck. He could see past the thick outline of black, through to her eyes. He looked into them. They were hazel, flecked with golden highlights.

" Still got the uniform?"

Minutes later the back door of the bar flew open with a loud bang, and two people stumbled out into the alley. Pinned against the rough wall, Angel's mouth kissing her furiously, his hands in her hair, she was trying desperately to rip off his shirt. Finally, she gave up, moving her hands down, fumbling with his belt.HH


	2. Chapter 2

When Angel woke, the first thing he was aware of was the aching. Tendrils of pain shot through his limbs, and he gave a soft groan as he scraped his flesh against the cold, rough surface underneath his back. His head was pounding painfully and he was ice cold.

It took a few minutes for everything to sink in through the drunken haze.

Squinting blearily, he finally realised that all was not as it should be. Never in his life had he slept somewhere so uncomfortable. At least all those other times he had woken up after a night he couldn't quite remember, he had had a pillow, or a cover. Here, he had nothing at all to shield him from the chilly breeze.

It was clear this wasn't his apartment. There were no silk sheets ,or thick mattress. There was no warm shower waiting for him, with a smart change of clothes. He doubted very much that with one call, room service would be delivered, with some Aspirin to sooth his banging headache. All of the usual comforts that usual surrounded him were gone- and although he had always been sure that he could live without them, he was definitely missing them now.

So he wasn't at home. Where the hell was he?

He opened his eyes slowly and warily, and was greeted with the sight of sky, far above him- marred slightly by the cluster of rooftops but it was still there, bright and blue. This meant he was outdoors.

And naked. Butt naked. Outdoors. Crap.

Struggling, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, wincing as the gravel he laid on scratched the palms of his hands.

He was in an alleyway. It was dark and constricted, the only light coming from the patch of sky he had been staring at previously. It was dirty and smelt like damp and booze. Other than him and his scattered clothes, it was entirely empty, save an upturned empty barrel that had once held beer.

Shivering slightly, he climbed unsteadily to his feet and began to collect his scattered clothing. His head throbbed as last night's events returned in a painful flood. He remembered the woman, hair glossy black, lips ruby red, skin smooth as silk, and warm against his, her eyes, hazel, flecked with gold-

Great. Just fantastic. He was one of the city's top lawyers. He wasn't a hormonal teenager anymore- he was 26 years old, for God's sake. Screwing some chick in a strange alley in the middle of the night when he should have been at home, or even at the office? Great. Very mature.

When Angel was fully dressed, he stretched, as his muscles screamed in pain. Every inch of him hurt. All he wanted to do was go home, maybe get a massage and collapse into bed for the rest of the weekend. Thank God he wasn't in work today. He would have had even more explaining to do.

With a sigh, he realised there was no way out. He began hammering on the door that lead to the bar, each bang sending a shot of pain along his arms and to his head.

After ten minutes, he began to shout. He was tempted to just kick it down- he restrained himself. He had done enough childish things last night.

Finally, a bleary eyed man came to the door, in a greasy vest and a long black robe. After mumbling a few swear words, he let Angel in. Grabbing his jacket and tie where he had left it on the bar the night before (thanking the heavens above it hadn't been stolen, as it contained his wallet and car key's) and fled into the harsh sunlight. He merged among the crowds, thankful that this place was such a dump nobody he associated with would recognise him. He almost laughed at the though. Why would anyone he knew be hanging out in this run down dump? It may have been appealing as a young student but now even he could see that we didn't belong here. He belonged in a different world, aside from dirty pubs, filthy alleys...mysterious women, in the middle of the night…

He made it to his car, which he had parked round the corner. Feeling slightly surprised that it hadn't been stolen or vandalised, he climbed in and breathed in the expensive smell of the leather seats and the trim interior. This was part of the world he belonged in. Expensive cars, grand apartments, respectable job…

Sighing, he turned on the engine, and speeded away from the memories of the night before.

When he finally pulled up smoothly outside his apartment, he parked and walked into the building, conscious of his crumpled shirt and his overall state of disarray. He made it up to his apartment without too many dirty looks. Everyone knew Angel Smith. He was one of the richest people in the buildings, and had been a resident for just over a year or two. He lived in the penthouse, the most luxurious suite in the whole place- one of the best in the whole city- of course people looked up to him.

Not to mention the fact he was one of the best lawyers money could buy.

In a matter of minutes, he was in the shower, underneath the spray, as the hot water coursed over his lean body and wiped away the dirt, soothing the aches and pains. He shampooed and rinsed, watching as the bubbles ran down his muscular chest. He just wished he could wash and scrub away the memories of last night, with the mystery brunette stranger as easily. He got the feeling he wouldn't be forgetting her any time soon. Just the thought of her gave him a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. He didn't usually get this uneasy feeling, after he used to have one night stands. Then again, maybe he had just forgotten. After all, he hadn't had a one night stand in a long time. And for good reason.

Slowly, he heard the shower door slide open as somebody climbed in beside him. The door shut again, as the water sprayed over their bodies. Hands crept up his chest, resting on his shoulders as a mouth met his and pushed him against the tiled wall.

Hot breath warmed his neck as he leaned down and continued to kiss the naked woman in front of him.

Miles away, in a smaller flat, "Anne" stood in front of a large mirror in her bathroom. She slipped down the straps of her tight dress and let it fall to the floor. Stepping out of it, she kicked off her heels and leant down to rub her aching feet. With a yawn, she began slowly wiping off her make up, watching as her face became less natural, less garish. Shivering slightly in her underwear, she began to run the shower, waiting for the water to get warmer. Returning to the mirror, she studied her reflection, biting her lip nervously as she stared critically. As the steam began to fill the bathroom, she sighed, reaching up and fiddling with her hairpins. A second later, long, blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders like a golden fountain, the glossy brunette wig in her hand as she ran her fingers through her real hair.

"Buffy! Are you gonna be long in there?"

The voice from the living room in the flat made her jump. Composing herself, she made her voice calm and natural.

"I'm just taking a shower. I won't be long."

There was a mumbled reply. She didn't bother pretending she had heard. All she wanted to do was take a long hot shower and try to wash away the dirty feeling that covered her.

**_Ta-da!Hope you enjoyed it and thank you to the people who reviewed the first chapter. Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes._**

**_But now I need you help- most of my stories contain the typical Buffy-Angel-Cordy love triangle. To help me out please review and say whether you think the girl in the shower should be her, or somebody knew. It's up to you._**

**_Press the button. It makes me happy._**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Some of you may be aware that I posted an empty chapter- long story so I had to totally rewrite it. Just so you know the other version ended very differently…_**

So what do you do when you cheated on your girlfriend with a stranger in a bar, and can't get rid of your guilt?

Buy mass amounts of chocolates and flowers, of course.

But what do you do when you not only cheated on your girlfriend with a stranger in a bar, and, as well as feeling guilty about that, you feel dreadful because you cannot get the thought of the stranger out of your head?

Angel hadn't yet thought of an answer to that one. It was early in the morning and he had driven into town, leaving only a note promising the figure sleeping peacefully beside him that he would return with breakfast for two. He sat instead outside of a café, untouched coffee in front of him. He was trying to think about his next move, anyway to get rid of these feelings of guilt.

A small part of him knew that this was impossible. That didn't stop him from wishing it had never happened. He wished that after his meeting he had gone straight home, never made the fateful decision to drive to the bar. Then he wouldn't be here, in this situation, with these feelings whirling round in his head.

Pushing his hands through his hair as he watched the bustling LA morning traffic speed by him, he tried to empty himself of everything. He tried to forget about the incident in the alley, the mysterious stranger. He tried to forget his partner, lying asleep at home, blissfully unaware.

The latter was much easier considered than done. Even from here, he could see her sharp, crystal clear blue eyes staring coolly at him from the side of the building opposite. The enlarged image showed every fleck of green in her eyes, every attribute he knew off by heart.

The billboard had been put up a few months ago. It showed her, clad in a crimson dress, reclining on a plush velvet chaise- the slogan underneath read "Nina Leona, the new face of fashion." Angel couldn't help but notice that however pleased he was for Nina, the advert showed off much more flesh than actual clothing. He wouldn't have even thought about mentioning this to his girlfriend, the day that they had viewed the billboard being unveiled. Nina had been so happy. She had stood, staring up at the billboard, eyes sparkling in sheer happiness. He knew her greatest ambition was to make her mark on the world, to become as big and as important in the fashion industry as possible. Some people wondered why he wasn't more concerned that his girlfriend had big dreams that might take her away from him. Angel laughed, and replied that wherever Nina went, he would surely follow.

But the question was, if she found out what he had done, would she even want him to follow, or would she leave him behind to accomplish her dreams alone?

Angel sighed loudly, stirring his cold coffee absent minded as the hustle bustle of the streets washed over him like a wave.

For the hundredth time he wondered who exactly that girl was. Was Anne even her real name? He doubted it. She didn't look like an Anne to him, anyhow. He wondered again whether she always dressed like that, whether she had a job, whether she lived in the city. Had she even got home safely? How had she got out of the crowded little alley without entering through the bar

Before he knew what he was doing, he was on his feet, taking long striding steps after laying money on the table to pay for his drink. Angel barely knew where he was going- he didn't know his motives but he knew his destination.

He got into his parked car and pulled out into the road almost immediately. He drove fast so that he wouldn't have a chance to reconsider what he was doing. If he thought about it he would reconsider, and turn back. A fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach made him feel queasy. Leaving a trail of angry drivers honking their horns in his wake, he swerved through the traffic and drove as fast as possible.

As soon as he entered the bar, the bar man eyed him warily. He nodded briefly at him and waited for him to slip through into the back room, before opening the door and entering the alley.

A wave of familiar smells washed over him- the damp dirty smell he had noticed earlier, plus the smell of his own aftershave from the night, plus a mysterious fragrance that he inhaled appreciatively.

He looked around, surveying every corner of the alleyway for any trace of the stranger. He looked up for any way she could have possibly escaped. As far as he could tell, she could have only climbed up the drainpipe.

He was about to leave, give up when he spotted something sparking in the far end of the alley, nestled between two empty crates. He hesitated then moved over and bent down, scooping it up and examining it.

It was her necklace. He had noticed it the night before, a simple diamond sphere hanging on an elegant gold chain. It didn't seem like the kind of thing a tacky drunk slutty girl would wear. It didn't look like it belonged to somebody who had had sex in an alleyway with a man she had barely known for ten minutes.

He slipped it into his pocket, closing his eyes and breathing in the last remains of her scent before exiting the alleyway.

He was amazingly late, as he rushed into the bedroom over two hours since he had left. Nina was slowly waking from her slumber when he came in and set a plate of her favourite chocolate donuts and a steaming coffee on her bedside table.

"Hey," He muttered. Her eyes opened and she smiled at him brightly, wide awake despite the fact a minute earlier she had been fast asleep.

"Hi." She pushed herself up into a sitting position. Angel stretched out beside her as she took a sip of her coffee before putting it back on the table.

"You are wearing way too many clothes, " She complained. He grinned. Typical Nina.

He slipped of his jacket and tossed it onto the edge of the bed.

He was about to remove his shirt when he realised something sparkling had fallen from his jacket pocket, a second after his girlfriend did. His heart stopped as she reached out and lifted it with one finger, crimson fingernails gleaming harshly against the gold chain of the pendant.

Any second now. Any second now she would realise-

"Oh, honey. You shouldn't have!"

He froze, plausible excuses he had conjured flooding through her head.

"Shouldn't have..." He began. She smiled happily, reaching up and fastening it behind her neck. It looked wrong on her, after he had seen it against the lightly tanned skin of the strange woman.

"This must have cost a fortune! It's so gorgeous!"

He should have protested then, told her it wasn't hers. But by saying that, she would wonder just whose it was. He couldn't have that.

Instead he smiled warily and watched as his girlfriend admired her reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall, admiring herself before leaning across to press a kiss against her boyfriends lips.


End file.
